Always
by ipreferwestside
Summary: Post-4x23, my take on THAT night. Posted in honor of the Alwaysiversary. A little smut, a little fluff. Two-shot. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

He'd wanted their first time to be slow. It almost was; the way she'd led him to his bedroom and let him lay her down gently on the bed, he'd been trembling with anticipation.

But then her shirt was off and her bra was who knows where, and he had her breasts in his mouth and hands and something snapped.

She snapped, actually; before long his pants were undone and she was reaching under his waistband. As soon as her hand touched him he was a goner. Within moments their clothes were scattered and he was touching her, slipping a finger inside, readying her for him.

He was kissing her, then, lost himself in the taste of tears and rain and that same taste from just last year that was just…her. It wasn't until she pulled her lips away from his with an unintelligible cry that he realized she was coming. He simply continued as she shattered around him, her face contorted in ecstasy, head thrown back against his bedspread.

She felt him shift on top of her, kneeling between her open legs, teasing her with his cock, but managed to shake enough fog from her brain that she could press on his shoulders, stopping him. "Wait—"

He groaned; he needed to be inside her, was relatively certain he'd come as soon as he entered her. "What?" he snapped. Then he saw the look in her eyes, the worry and a little bit of doubt, and stilled. "Oh. Shit. I don't have any condoms."

She shook her head. "No, that's not – well, that's important, but I'm on the pill. But – I mean – have you been with anybody? Lately?" she finally blurted out.

He stared at her, a small smile on his face, gazed for several moments before finally answering. "I didn't sleep with her, if that's what you're asking. The flight attendant. I haven't been with anyone since Gina." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm good."

She mirrored his actions, brushing a lock of hair off his forehead. "I'm good too," she said quietly, so quietly he almost didn't hear her.

He took her, then, both groaning when he was finally inside. Finally, four years of teasing, flirting, desiring, of jealousy and annoyance and anger, and they were finally together.

He tried to convey with actions what words could not, even with his writer's vocabulary: this was it. Forever. Despite his words the previous night, they weren't over. He could never be done with her. He was in it for the long haul; he hoped she was too, because he had no intention of letting her go.

They moved together, completely in sync as they always had been. He started slow, but within moments of them joining she was gripping his ass and twisting her hips in a way that made him jerk. He took her mouth in his, their tongues battling, fighting for dominance. She let him win, but as their bodies moved faster and they both got closer he pulled away. He wanted them to come together, and he was close; he reached down and pressed his thumb against her clit, finally stilling his hips as she came around him and he inside her.

They lay there for several minutes while they caught their breath. Finally he shifted, lifting himself on his forearms so he could look at her. Her hair was wild and what little makeup she had on was smudged but she was more beautiful than he'd ever seen. He kissed her, a long, slow, tender kiss so different than the desperation they'd only just felt. "I love you," he murmured. "You don't have to say it back, but I need you to know that." He kissed her again. "I'm sorry for last night. I was mad. But I have never stopped loving you."

She smiled against his lips. "I love you, too." Suddenly she shivered; he was warm on top of her, covering her body with his, but she had been in the cold rain not that long ago and she was still wet, not to mention naked. "Castle, I'm sorry, but can we get under the covers?"

He pulled away, apologizing, tucking the covers around them as he pulled her into his arms. "Maybe we can take a hot shower together," he teased suggestively, smiling into her hair.

She looked up at him, grinning, and took his lips in hers for a searing kiss. "I like that idea." She reached under the covers when she felt him twitch against her thigh. "Or, you could warm me up some other way."

She laughed until he flipped her onto her back and threw back the covers, trailing his lips down her body until he reached her core, sensitive and waiting.

"Like this?" he asked before lowering his head.

She relaxed into the mattress, her face breaking into a grin. "Exactly like that."

He drew out her pleasure until she came undone around his fingers and mouth, letting her climax only after she threatened bodily harm. As she came down, he held her in his arms, slowly stroking her back.

"Good?"

Kate sighed and kissed him. "You can do that any time," she teased.

He grinned. "Looking forward to it."


	2. Chapter 2

_Part 2/2._

"I quit my job."

"You – what?" Castle sat up to hover over her. "You quit your job? Why? When?"

Beckett turned over so she was facing him. "Today. Well, yesterday. Right before I came here. Espo and I were being read the riot act; Gates put us on suspension and I didn't care, it didn't matter. I did what was right by going after Maddox. But as I was hanging off that ledge I realized that I didn't want to be a cop anymore if it meant giving up the rest of my life." She cupped his cheek with her palm, smiling when he pressed his lips to the heel. "Nothing is worth it if I don't have you."

Castle leaned down to kiss her. What he meant to be a short kiss quickly turned into more when she pulled him on top of her, opening herself to him again.

* * *

Castle woke to the sound of water running. Swiping a hand across the other side of the bed, he found it was empty – Beckett must be in the shower.

It was a large shower. They both could fit.

He padded into the bathroom and froze when he caught sight of her. She was shampooing her hair, eyes closed, turning slowly as she worked the soap through her curls. He saw her wince more than once and, seeing her in full light for the first time that night, noticed the bruises that had already begun to form on her torso. She hadn't exaggerated when she'd described the fight; if anything, she had downplayed it.

Damn Maddox. Damn whoever hired him. And damn himself for walking away.

As if he could ever truly walk away from her.

Castle moved then, stepping in behind her as she finished rinsing out the shampoo. He rested his hands on her waist. "You should have woken me," he murmured into her ear.

Beckett jumped slightly when he touched her. She'd gotten so lost in the shower that she'd almost forgotten where she was, who she was with.

No chance of that now, not with his arousal pressing into her back.

She turned in his arms and kissed him, smiling into his mouth. "You were snoring," she shot back.

Castle grunted and moved his lips over her cheek and down her neck, nibbling slightly at the spot under her ear that had made her moan. "Snoring is bad for one's health," he muttered into her shoulder. He nipped at her clavicle, smiling when she gasped. "You're supposed to wake snorers up."

Kate gripped his hair in her fingers, lifting his head to look in his eyes. "And how is one supposed to wake a snorer?" she teased, a glint in her eye above layers of arousal.

Rick grinned and pushed her back until he had her pinned against the wall, sneaking a thigh between her legs. "Slowly," he growled, rolling his hips, making her gasp and move against his thigh.

Kate let him take her lips in his, mouths open, tongues battling and exploring all at the same time. She whimpered in protest when he pulled away, but he only gave her a wicked grin and knelt.

"Rick—"

Castle looked up at her from his haunches. He could get used to his: the woman he loved, against the wall, skin flushed and chest heaving.

She wanted him. She wanted him bad.

"Yes, Kate?"

Kate looked at him, tried to glare like she did so often, but in her current state it wasn't intimidating at all. "What the hell do you think?"

Rick ran his hands up the front of her thighs, slowly, making her shudder. He moved his hands to her hips, then stomach, intentionally avoiding her center. She would probably get back at him later, but in the meantime, she was putty in his hands and he loved every moment.

"Do you want this?"

He reached up and palmed her breasts, rolling and pinching each nipple with his fingers, smiling when she almost lost her balance.

"Yes." It came out as more of a moan.

"How about this?"

He leaned forward and blew lightly against her clit.

Kate grabbed his head again to keep from losing her balance. That was definitely _not_ what she was expecting.

"Oh God—"

Castle took his finger and ran it across her folds, drawing the moisture from her heat to encircle her clit. "Maybe this?" He nipped at her thighs before taking her with his mouth, flatting his tongue along her.

"Fuck!"

He slid a finger in her, wrapping his left arm around her thigh and lifting it so she was half-sitting on him. Her hips started rocking, moving of their own accord, so he added a second finger, curling them to hit that spot he'd discovered that drove her nuts. He supported her with his arm, simply offering some stability as she rocked against his fingers and tongue.

Her arms slid on the slick tile wall as she climbed higher, towards her release. Not finding any leverage, she settled for gripping his head once again. Finally she let the dam break, her hips jerking, wave after wave consuming her as he urged her along.

Castle felt her still and sat back again, helping her slide down the shower wall to the floor. He grinned and reached up to turn off the now-cold water. "You okay?"

Kate gazed at him through her lashes, eyes barely open. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

Rick laughed then, a loud laugh that had him throwing his head back. Kate had a rather limited vocabulary while in the middle of sex – namely, she almost exclusively spouted off expletives during and immediately after. He found it adorable.

"Do you think you can move?"

"Mm, give me a minute."

Rick shivered. The bathroom was still filled with steam, but the water had long gone cold. "I'll see you back in bed. There's a towel on the sink when you're ready."

No sooner had he slipped back into bed that she joined him, straddling him, her heat pressing into his stomach. He could only stare; the look on her face was of sheer determination and desire.

"That was fast," he observed.

Kate grinned. "Time to return the favor."

Castle could only groan.

FIN

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you to the eagled-eyed reviewers who pointed out that I basically forgot about Gina so had a part of the timeline all funky in part 1. It is now fixed._

 _A/N 2: I hope you enjoy, smut isn't exactly a strength (much easier to read than to write) so feedback appreciated._


End file.
